Predoctoral Researcher Funding Contract (Enric Julià Danés) - Transport emissions inequality and the harmonization of Low Emission Zones in the EU
IQS - Universitat Ramon Llull
Barcelona
Permanente
Tiempo completo
Hace 1 mes
The University Ramon Llull is a confederation of schools, faculties and departments. IQS is its oldest founding member and consists of two major schools, the School of Engineering and the School of Management that form each an administrative grouping of departments and other institutions among which there are three strategic academic divisions: IQS Executive Education that offers cutting-edge and transformative learning experiences to business leaders; IQS Tech Transfer that promotes research with impact, innovation and technology transfer for companies and organizations and IQS Tech Factory that fosters entrepreneurship and supports the creation of new scientific-technological companies.With 100 years of teaching experience, IQS is a university center of reference, committed to donating responses to the continuum of challenges that the social, economic, technological and industrial context poses.Our mission and commitment are to cultivate individuals with values and competencies needed to flourish humanely and professionally.We are offering a Predoctoral Researcher Funding Contract to work on the project titled “Transport emissions inequality and the harmonization of Low Emission Zones in the EU”, supported by the Enric Julià Danés Predoctoral Researcher Funding Contract. This contract covers a three-year scholarship to pursue a PhD within the Business and Territorial Competitiveness, Innovation and Sustainability program (CETIS) at the IQS School of Management, Universitat Ramon Llull (Barcelona, Spain). It includes a full-time employment contract with an annual gross stipend of approximately €22,000, starting in January 2026, and full coverage of doctoral tuition fees for the three-year period. The selected candidate will work within a multidisciplinary research environment, engaging with the Sustainability, Economics and Ethics Research Group (SEE) and the Engineering and Simulation of Environmental Processes Group (GESPA). The doctoral thesis will be supervised by Dr. Mihály Tamás Borsi from the Department of Economics and Finance and Dr. Rafael González Olmos from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science.What is the general project?Despite significant emission reductions across the European Union, road transport remains a major source of air pollution, particularly in densely populated areas. Developing sustainable mobility policies is therefore crucial, and Low Emission Zones (LEZs) have become a widely adopted tool across over a hundred European cities. While LEZs have been shown to reduce local air pollution and incentivize cleaner vehicle fleets, their broader environmental and social implications remain less understood.This PhD project introduces and investigates the concept of transport emissions inequality, defined as the uneven regional distribution of pollution burdens that may arise unintentionally from policies like LEZs. Specifically, the project hypothesizes that such policies, while effective locally, may displace more polluting vehicles to peripheral or less-regulated regions, thereby exacerbating regional disparities in environmental quality and public health outcomes.The research will pursue three core objectives: (i) to construct and analyze novel indicators of emissions inequality across regions; (ii) to assess the environmental effectiveness and distributive fairness of current and future LEZ frameworks within Spain and across the EU; and (iii) to generate empirical evidence that can inform the harmonization of LEZ regulations at the European level.This is a highly data-driven and interdisciplinary project that combines tools and perspectives from economics and environmental sciences. Key methodological components include:
Construction of a novel panel dataset that combines high-frequency data on vehicle registrations and transfers with detailed environmental, geographic, and socio-economic indicators
Advanced econometric techniques to quantify spillover effects and regional disparities.
Application of life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the long-term sustainability and emissions impact of different mobility scenarios and LEZ designs
Experimental research on consumer behavior and vehicle purchasing decisions, to understand how individuals respond to regulatory incentives and environmental communication strategies.
Key ResponsibilitiesThe doctoral researcher will be based at IQS School of Management, Universitat Ramon Llull (Barcelona, Spain) and will be responsible for carrying out the core research activities leading to the completion of their PhD thesis within the framework of the project “Transport emissions inequality and the harmonization of Low Emission Zones in the EU.” This includes advanced data processing and analysis, indicator development, and contributions to environmental and behavioral research components of the project. The researcher is also expected to actively participate in training activities, research seminars, and collaborative initiatives led by the SEE and GESPA research groups. In addition, the position may include some light teaching assistance responsibilities.We invite applications from candidates with a strong academic background and proven interest in sustainability, transport policy, environmental data analysis, or related fields. Applicants should hold a Master’s degree (MSc) in economics, data science, environmental studies, engineering, or other relevant disciplines in social or applied sciences.Ideal candidates should have:
Strong data processing skills, including experience in database management and applied statistics
Solid methodological background in quantitative analysis for empirical research (e.g., econometrics, panel data, statistical computing)
Experience in statistical programming and data processing using tools such as Excel, Stata, MATLAB, Python, or similar.
Valued (but not mandatory) qualifications:
Basic knowledge of life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology (also knowledge in LCA-softwares such as SimaPro, OpenLCA, GABI or Brightway2)
Interest in behavioral research or experimental design
Strong communication skills.
Prospective candidates are invited to submit a proposal and brief work plan outlining their research interests and how their background and expertise could contribute to the objectives of the project “Transport emissions inequality and the harmonization of Low Emission Zones in the EU.” Innovative ideas on how to address transport-related environmental inequalities will be especially valued.Applications must include the following documents and be submitted no later than 28 September, 2025:1.Project proposal and work plan, which must include
Title
Project summary (max. 100 words)
Detailed description of the proposed work plan (max. 2,000 words)
Proposal for publishing and disseminating results
2.Academic transcripts for all university degrees and courses (scanned copies are accepted at the application stage)3.Curriculum Vitae4.Letter of motivation5.Two letters of recommendation (at least one from an academic referee)6.Proof of English proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS or equivalent)If you have any questions about this position, you can contact Dr. Borsi ( ) or Dr. González Olmos ( ).Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online interview.Final decisions will be communicated within approximately one month after the application deadline, around 31 October, 2025.The selected candidate will be asked to confirm acceptance of the grant within one month of notification and is expected to formally enroll in the doctoral program within three months of acceptance. The anticipated start date is January 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.We are an equal opportunity employer. We promote equality and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law. We strongly welcome applications from female candidates as they are currently under-represented at this level in this field of knowledge in our School.We also promote scientific and technological knowledge, business transformation and societal progress. At IQS we look for professionals committed to both these values.